In our Wednesday morning roundup, see
summaries of our selection of recent South African
labour-related reports.
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SARS deploys managers to Beitbridge to plug manpower gap due to strike News24 reports that the SA Revenue Service (SARS) has deployed senior staff that fall outside of collective bargaining processes to work at the Beitbridge border post to avert a potential disaster posed by industrial action on the part of the revenue collector's employees. On Tuesday last week, SARS announced that its operations had been affected by a workers' strike that has since resulted in the closure of 18 offices within SA. According to transporters in Beitbridge, since last week they have been experiencing delays in clearing their cargo because agents on the SA side were on a go-slow. Cargo moving on both sides of the border has been greatly affected by slow clearance due to a manpower shortage. As such, on Saturday SARS issued a notice advising transporters that it had put up a skeletal structure to reduce the negative impacts felt by travellers: "We would like to assure traders and travellers that we have put various contingency measures in place at land border posts to ensure minimal disruption during the current industrial action at SARS." SARS said despite the manpower shortage, it would continue with its regular duties such as physical inspection of cargo. However, the issuance of SADC certificates of origin for cargo exported from SA was a challenge and traders would have to use an alternative. SARS workers are demanding a salary increment of at least 7%, but the tax collector is only offering an upward adjustment of less than 2%. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lenin Ndebele at News24 (subscriber access only) Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Two security guards killed by same gunmen in separate Soweto shootings The Citizen reports that the police are investigating after two security guards were shot and killed in Soweto on Monday. The shootings took place in the White City area. Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Sello said one of the security guards was on duty at a local butchery in White City when he was accosted by five unknown men. The armed men shot the guard and took his gun before fleeing on foot. According to the police, the suspects met another security officer nearby who was returning from work. They then shot him as well. The second victim did not have any firearm. Both victims were declared dead on the scene. “The suspects are unknown at this stage and police will be investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting incidents,” said Sello. The White City shooting comes after several shootings have rocked townships across SA in recent weeks (further details in report). Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Citizen
Health Minister Joe Phaahla tests positive for Covid-19 TimesLive reports that Department of Health (DOH) Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Tuesday tested positive for Covid-19 after experiencing minor symptoms. “Minister Phaahla took tests earlier today [Tuesday] and the results came back positive and he immediately self-isolated. He will perform his official duties from home for seven days and all his planned contact meetings have been rescheduled while others [were] converted into virtual,” DOH spokesperson Foster Mohale indicated. The department said this was a reminder that the pandemic remained in existence and was infectious. This was the reason it continued to report daily Covid-19 positive cases and deaths. “Minister Phaahla has received two doses of J&J Covid-19 vaccine which he believes has boosted his immunity against the severity of the virus. The department would like to remind the public that lifting the Covid-19 restrictions doesn't mean the pandemic is over, hence vaccination services remain accessible at all times at selected sites,” Mohale advised. Read the original of the short report in the above regard at TimesLive Scientists worried about new Omicron sub-variant Centaurus spreading across the globe The Citizen reports that health scientists are starting to voice their concern about a new Covid sub-variant that was first detected in India and has rapidly spread to other parts of the world. The Omicron variant, referred to as Centaurus or BA.2.75, first emerged in India in May. It has since spread to around 10 countries, including the United States, Britain, Germany, The Netherlands and Australia. The World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan stressed, however, that it was too early to panic about the new wave of infections. “It’s still too early to know if this sub-variant has properties of additional immune evasion or of being more clinically severe,” she advised. Once it has enough data, the WHO will decide whether Centaurus is a variant of concern. The emergence of the Centaurus sub-variant comes as countries around the world, including SA, have drastically relaxed their Covid restrictions. Prof Shabir Madhi of Wits University warned SA about the emergence of the Centaurus sub-variant, despite no cases having been identified in the country yet. “It might lead to resurgence, even in a country such as South Africa, although we haven’t identified a case yet of this sub-variant virus, but again it is unlikely that we are going to experience a mass number of hospitalisations and deaths now that 90% of people in South Africa got some type of immunity against a virus either from vaccines or infection,” Madhi said. Read the full original of the report in the above regard at The Citizen. Lees ook, WGO hou nuwe Omikron-subvariant fyn dop, by Maroela Media Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Ramaphosa meets business leaders on plan to tackle energy crisis, who warn that ‘the trick will always be execution’ BL Premium reports that as President Cyril Ramaphosa mulls his response to the energy crisis gripping the country, Business Unity SA (Busa) on Tuesday called for a more focused partnership between the government and private sector. Economists have sketched a bleak picture of the economic impact of load-shedding. Ramaphosa is (still) working on a proposal to deal with the crisis and is expected to address the nation soon on it. On Tuesday, he met organised business leaders on the electricity supply crisis in a virtual meeting. Bonang Mohale, president of Busa, which represents 55 business organisations, said the talks were “productive, extremely open, honest and transparent”. Commenting further, Mohale said: “As business we are absolutely convinced we are in this together. This is an all-in crisis ... The economy is currently being hamstrung and we know that without energy there is zero economic activity.” He added that Busa was happy with the plan presented to it, but cautioned that “the trick will always be execution”. Busa CEO Cas Coovadia commented: “The presidency presented a plan to address the immediate and longer-term energy stabilisation and consolidation issues. There is reasonable congruence between business priorities and the plan.” Coovadia said business was keen on a more focused partnership between the government and business to bring best resources and capacity in the country to bear in order to make urgent progress. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mary Papayya at BusinessLive (subscriber access only) National Taxi Alliance threatens total shutdown if government doesn’t respond positively to fuel price concerns The Citizen reports that the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) has given government 21 days to respond to a letter of demands or face protest action. On Tuesday, NTA spokesperson Theo Malele said a shutdown could only be averted if government responded positively. Just like many South Africans, the industry has had to bear the brunt of rising fuel prices. “We have written a letter to the Minister of Minerals and Energy and copied the Minister of Transport, and we are saying that this industry which provides 400,000 direct and indirect jobs cannot be left to go under. The minister should look into the relaxation of levies on fuel so that we can have a breather in terms of being able to meet our financial obligations every month as an industry,” said Malele. He advised that they have yet to receive any response from government. “We have given government an ultimatum of 21 days to respond and failure for them to respond, we will then have to consult broadly with our taxi operators throughout the country, get a fresh mandate and that mandate will then guide us on what course of action to take… Obviously a shutdown is quite possible,” Malele added. Last week, the United Taxi Association Front (UTAF), an affiliate of the NTA, also threatened a shutdown should their demands not be met. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Stephen Tau at The Citizen Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Thirty Numsa officials head to court to lift suspensions or halt union’s conference next week Fin24 reports that thirty National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) officials who claim they were suspended to sideline them ahead of a crucial conference, are headed to the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Friday to attempt to have their sanctions lifted. If this is unsuccessful, they will ask the Labour Court to postpone the union's high-stakes conference in Cape Town next week, where new national office bearers will be elected. The 30 officials, including the chairperson of the union in Meyerton, Kwanda Khanyile, and Vereeniging-based official George Makhanya, claim that Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim used suspension to sideline them so that they could not participate in the conference or run for national office. Jim maintained in a statement released on Monday that these officials were suspended for misconduct and should allow their disciplinary proceedings to proceed. He denied that recent suspensions were about consolidating his support ahead of the conference and said the "rogue faction" was part of a "propaganda" attack which sought to undermine the conference. The officials are expected to argue in court that the Numsa Central Committee acted beyond its powers by suspending them, as well as the union's second deputy president Ruth Ntlokotse. Furthermore according to the group, Numsa's constitution requires that the Central Committee appoint a credentials committee to accredit delegates to the national congress, which has not been done. "No such committee exists. Without this committee, there will be no constitutionally accredited delegates at the congress. Without accredited delegates, there will be no congress," the group argued. Ntlokotse was suspended after she was elected as president of Numsa's umbrella federation, Saftu, in May. She has said her suspension was a bid at silencing her within the union, which Jim had denied. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24
Workers at Ashton fruit canning factory pray for investors to prevent its closure EWN reports that workers at a fruit canning factory in Ashton are praying for investors step in to prevent its closure. In May 2020, Tiger Brands decided to sell the Langeberg and Ashton Foods factory and exit the deciduous fruit business. A buyer could not be found, but the company has agreed to keep operating for another season, while it waits to hear from a number of potential buyers. According to one Ashton resident, she has been working at the factory for almost 24 years, but has only been permanent for 13 of them. Her husband is an employee too. The mother of two said her family's connection to the business went back generations as her parents and her grandmother also worked at the factory. "Oh wow, this factory means a lot because it's our bread and butter," she said. She indicated how she felt when she was informed of Tiger Brands' plans: "It's like a bomb that exploded in everyone's faces... really scared... you don't know what to do... so we were very, very scared, fearful and angry. My prayer is that we get investors very, very urgently so that this factory's doors can be open because Ashton is a small town and we need this factory... and for one year, we can't sit back and relax." Read the original of the report in the above regard by Lauren Isaacs at EWN
UIF hopes to recover R1.8bn lost to failed investments in Bounty Brands EWN reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) is hopeful that it can still recover the almost R1.8 billion in public money that it lost on two failed investments in Bounty Brands. Earlier this year, investigative outfit Scorpio exposed how in late 2018, just months after the second investment was made, the consumer goods group found itself in a debt crisis. That prompted a drastic restructure that saved it from financial ruin, but left the UIF’s shares worthless. Now Scorpio has tracked some R530 million of the UIF’s money back to its UK holding company, namely Bounty Brands Holdings, and unearthed how it was apparently paid out to shareholders as dividends. UIF spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi emphasised that the fund had granted the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) a mandate to make investments on its behalf and that the PIC ran its own investment processes that the UIF had been assured included “thorough due diligence of all envisaged transactions”. Buthelezi indicated that the PIC regularly reported back to the fund on the performance of the investments and, as a result, the fund had recently been made aware of the investments in Bounty Brands. He said the fund “deplores the alleged malfeasance in Bounty Brands”. But he also said the UIF’s understanding was that the PIC had instituted an investigation which it believed would result in recovering the funds. Read the original of the report in the above regard by Bernadette Wicks at EWN. Read too, How a foreign company appropriated R500m of your UIF money, at EWN
ANC staff call for national conference delay over salaries owed for work done in June BL Premium reports that workers at the ANC’s headquarters, Luthuli House, have called for the party’s national policy conference scheduled for next week to be postponed over the nonpayment of staff salaries for June. At two separate meetings of staff and management, the ANC’s full-time employees questioned why the party had money for a conference but not for salaries. The conference, which is scheduled to take place at Nasrec in Gauteng on 29 July, is expected to be attended by thousands of delegates. The governing party has been struggling on-and-off to pay staff salaries on time since 2019. The party is in financial ruin, with mounting debts to SA Revenue Service and nonpayment of membership contributions to employees’ retirement funds. Several ANC personnel confirmed that salaries had been paid up to end-May, but not for work done in June. Keith Khoza, head of the ANC’s treasurer-general’s office, said the conference would not be delayed. “We are doing our best to raise the money for salaries,” he indicated. Political analysts agree that a postponement of the conference would be a disaster in terms of the party’s succession debate. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Hajra Omarjee at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
De Lille and Gungubele lose another court bid to block suspended public works DG Sam Vukela from returning to work TimesLive reports that Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille and Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele have lost another bid to prevent suspended director-general Sam Vukela returning to work. On Monday, Labour Court judge Andre van Niekerk dismissed with costs Gungubele’s application to review and set aside an arbitration award by the General Public Service Sector Bargaining Council. The council had ordered Gungubele and De Lille to lift Vukela's suspension after finding they had committed an unlawful labour practice by suspending him beyond the 60-day period prescribed in the senior management service handbook. Gungubele, however, took the matter to the Labour Court, arguing that Vukela’s return would erode public trust and confidence in the state administration and cause irreparable damage to the department. But Van Niekerk dismissed the application for review, saying: “It remains for the arbitrator to determine, on the basis of evidence to be led on the merits, whether there is any substance to the applicant’s jurisdictional objections.” Vukela has been on paid suspension for two years. He is accused of awarding irregular contracts for state funerals, including that of struggle stalwart Winnie Madikizela-Mandela — among other allegations. Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nonkululeko Njilo at TimesLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Treasury warns that officials must pay suppliers on time or face disciplinary action Fin24 reports that National Treasury warned on Monday that government officials responsible for the billions of rands worth of late and non-payment of invoices by national and provincial departments needed to be monitored and punished. It said that while there had been an improvement in terms of the number of invoices older than 30 days that were not paid at the end of the 2021/22 financial year, there was still "a noticeable regression" in the number of invoices that were paid by national departments after 30 days. Businesses supplying to government, especially small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs), have had to contend with the late payment of invoices for years, exposing them to significant risks. Treasury said payment of invoices within 30 days should be included in the performance agreements of accounting officers, chief financial officers and other relevant officials. "Disciplinary action should be taken against officials who fail to comply with the requirements to pay invoices within 30 days and who undermine the systems of internal control be taken," Treasury asserted. It said accounting officers should ensure that the information to the relevant treasury was signed off and submitted within the timeframes stipulated in the Treasury instruction note. Treasury also said the topic of payment of suppliers within 30 days must be "a standing agenda item at all executive committee meetings of all provincial and national government departments". Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24
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